No More Unlimited Free Charging for New Tesla Customers

If you order a new Tesla starting in 2017, you'll have to pay to use the nationwide Supercharger network.

GettySmith Collection/Gado

By
Brian Silvestro

Nov 7, 2016

This morning, Tesla Motors announced via its official blog that it will no longer offer lifetime free charging at its Supercharger network for new buyers. Starting in 2017, new Teslas will only come with a limited amount of free charging every year.

Up until now, every Tesla sold came with free, unlimited recharging at any Supercharger station in Tesla's growing nationwide network. In an announcement this morning, Tesla says any cars ordered after January 1st, 2017 will come with just 400 kWh of complimentary Supercharging per year, equivalent to roughly 1000 miles worth of range. After that, owners will have to pay a "small fee" to power up their cars.

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How much is the fee? Tesla's being cagey on that point, saying only that "there will be a small fee to Supercharge which will be charged incrementally and cost less than the price of filling up a comparable gas car," and that "while prices may fluctuate over time and vary regionally based on the cost of electricity, our Supercharger Network will never be a profit center."

In the release, Tesla reiterated its encouragement that "the best way to charge your car is either at home or at work, during the hours you're not using it," a policy the automaker began touting after Tesla owners in certain regions complained of long lines and insufficient access to certain Supercharger stations.

This isn't the first time Tesla has tightened its belt on free Supercharger access: CEO Elon Musk announced earlier this year that the long-awaited $35,000 Tesla Model 3 will not include free Supercharger use.

Tesla says the new policy will not affect any current owners or any cars ordered before the end of the year, as long as the car is built before April 1st, 2017. The automaker says it will release more details later in the year.

If you like the idea of free power for your Tesla, you better get your order in before the new year comes around.